8th Annual Hoboken Comedy Festival taking comedy submissions

For eight years the Hoboken Comedy Festival has been the sole comedy festival claiming the square mile city. The Festival is the "Celebration of Hoboken's Entertainment independence" proving that the best comedians will come to Hoboken to perform once a year. A claim that is well substantiated with past headliners Amy Schumer, Artie Lange, Hannibal Burress, Pete Davidson, Judah Friedlander, Ted Alexandro, Carlos Mencia, Todd Barry, Robert Kelly, Andrew Schulz, Jenny Zigrino, Chuck Nice, Nate Bargatze, Rory Scovel, Ardie Fuqua, and a cast of about 85 comedians each year in September. For the sixth year in a row the Hoboken Comedy Festival will be also taking submissions from new and upcoming comedians to showcase their talents. Prospective performers can submit online at http://www.hobokencomedyfestival.org/ to have the opportunity to perform throughout the Festival. Each year performers submit 6-minute performance videos uploaded from sites like youtube and vimeo for a chance at the 25-50 performance slots on the festival. Selected "New Talent" comedians perform Monday-Thursday alongside headliners for a chance to win their individual night and be asked to return for the Friday and Saturday weekend shows. Best overall performance then returns yet again for the Sunday show and is the official Hoboken Comedy Festival Winner. Past winners have performed in associated tours in over 35 states, and perform in each subsequent Hoboken Comedy Festival as paid performers. The first ever victor of the Hoboken Comedy Festival Brett Druck, a Jersey City resident has gone on to be a featured performer on Laughs on Fox and is joining an 8-month comedy tour in 2018. On new talent nights the decision as to who continues to perform is made silent and respectfully by guest judges that represent various sides of the comedy industry. Generally it is comedy bookers, agents, managers, content producers and club owners. The goal of the night is to celebrate a triumph rather than highlight the other performers defeat. "Everyone selected performs on great shows with fantastic audiences, that historically (knock wood) have been sold out performances" says Festival Coordinator Dan Frigolette. Last year's winner Lawrence Deloach closed the Festival along with former winners Kareem Green, James Myers, and Gibran Saleem, with headliners Nick Vatterott (Conan, Tonight Show, Comedy Central) and Joe Machi (Last Comic Standing, Louis CK Tour) closing the sold out show at Maxwell Tavern on 11th street. “We really like to have our finger on the pulse of up and coming comedians,” says Festival Coordinator Dan Frigolette, “the new talent component has become an integral piece of the festival."

In hopes to grow the New Talent capabilities, the Hoboken Comedy Festival will also be adding a new talent showcase on the final day of the festival to encourage a larger number of performers to participate in this year's festival. While there will be no additional performances or selected winners on this particular showcase, there will be judges and bookers at that show to network to.

The 8th Annual Hoboken Comedy Festival will consist of 12 shows from September 25th to October 1st, with October 1st being a vendor-friendly, dog-friendly, family-friendly Indoor/Outdoor comedy block party with additional new talent shows, live podcasts, and two live comedy shows ending the festivities.

Not only does the Hoboken Comedy Festival hope to bring laughs to the community in October, they hope to tighten the community that supports the festival by giving back. Each year the Hoboken Comedy Festival selects a charity to support by donating $1 per ticket and accepting donations during all performances and on their website. For the third year in a row the Hoboken Comedy Festival is very proud to support the Liberty Humane Society --a non-profit animal shelter dedicated to promoting animal welfare who provides animal sheltering, behavioral therapy and adoption services. Each year the Festival creates a series of photographs with famous comedians and adoptable dogs to help promote the upcoming festival and LHS Donations.

The deadline to submit for new talent performers is September 15th and comes with a $30 fee and reminder to include a link to their 6-minute performance.

The festival will take place over seven days in six different venues and showcase some of the most prolific talent in the comedy industry today.

The Hoboken Comedy Festival proves for the eighth year in a row that Hoboken residents don’t need to cross rivers to enjoy a great comedy experience. The aim of the festival is to encourage comedic art and performance in Hoboken and offer entertainment close to resident's doorsteps. It's a celebration of the growing opportunity for great comedy in Hoboken for years to come.

More info and tickets: www.HobokenComedyFestival.org

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Dan Frigolette, Comma, D Productions 917.292.5441 or 201.898.0772 dfrigolette@gmail.com

We will send a follow up Press Release at the beginning of September Announcing all of the headliners for this year's festival.

2017 Hoboken Comedy Festival Calendar of Events

Sept 25th -The Brass Rail -8p

Sept 26th -Arthur's Steakhouse - 8p

Sept 27th - The Turtle Club - 8p Sept 28th - Porter Collins - 8pm Sept 29th - Birch - 7p & 9p Sept 30th - Birch - 7p & 9p Oct 1st - BLOCK PARTY @ Taphaus 12p-5p, 5p, 7p

More info: www.HobokenComedyFestival.org

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